US3768383A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Directional marker device for automobile roadbeds
Assignee: Tucker & Associates Inc
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Filing: 1970-11-03
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Granted: 1973-10-30
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Expires: 1990-11-03
Abstract
Abstract An automobile driving lane or roadbed marker device for attachment to a roadbed has a configuration which indicates to the driver of the automobile the proper direction of movement in a traffic lane, while defining the boundaries of the traffic lane. The marker device has a low-profile elongated threedimensional body the bottom surface of which is flat and which tapers in width from about 4 to 8 inches at one end to one to 2 inches at the other end. The top surface of the body is divided into facets or angularly disposed surfaces which tehmselves reflect light, or on which separate reflective units are formed or attached.
Inventors
- 👤 H Tucker
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 14:19
CPC Classifications
E; E01; E01F; E01F9/00; E01F9/50; E01F9/576; E01F9/578; E01F9/553
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
233 words
A directional marker device for application to an automobile roadbed to simultaneously delineate a traffic lane and prescribe the proper direction of travel for vehicular traffic in said traffic lane comprising: a. an elongated three-dimensional unitary and monolithic marker body having a generally flat bottom surface for attachment directly to the roadbed, said bottom surface being defined by long side edges of substantially equal lengths ranging from approximately twelve to approximately 24 inches and relatively shorter end edges of different lengths, the longer of the shorter end edges ranging from 4 to 8 inches and the shorter end edges ranging from a substantial point to approximately 1 inch; and b. an upper surface on the body divided into a plurality of surface portions angularly disposed with respect to each other and with respect to said bottom surface, at least one of said upper surface portions tapering from a broad dimension adjacent the longer of said relatively shorter end edges to a relatively narrower dimension adjacent the shorter of said two relatively shorter end edges, said plurality of upper surface portions meeting to form a ridge on said marker body having a height ranging from approximately 1/2 inch to approximately 1 inch at the highest point such that when the marker body is viewed from any direction the upper surface of said body indicates the prescribed direction of travel in relation to said body.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
233 words
A directional marker device for application to an automobile roadbed to simultaneously delineate a traffic lane and prescribe the proper direction of travel for vehicular traffic in said traffic lane comprising: a. an elongated three-dimensional unitary and monolithic marker body having a generally flat bottom surface for attachment directly to the roadbed, said bottom surface being defined by long side edges of substantially equal lengths ranging from approximately twelve to approximately 24 inches and relatively shorter end edges of different lengths, the longer of the shorter end edges ranging from 4 to 8 inches and the shorter end edges ranging from a substantial point to approximately 1 inch; and b. an upper surface on the body divided into a plurality of surface portions angularly disposed with respect to each other and with respect to said bottom surface, at least one of said upper surface portions tapering from a broad dimension adjacent the longer of said relatively shorter end edges to a relatively narrower dimension adjacent the shorter of said two relatively shorter end edges, said plurality of upper surface portions meeting to form a ridge on said marker body having a height ranging from approximately 1/2 inch to approximately 1 inch at the highest point such that when the marker body is viewed from any direction the upper surface of said body indicates the prescribed direction of travel in relation to said body.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
52 words
The combination according to claim 1, in which two of said upper surface portions taper from broad dimensions adjacent the longer of said relatively shorter end edges to relatively narrower dimensions adjacent the shorter of said two relatively shorter end edges whereby said ridge is inclined with respect to said bottom surface.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
87 words
The combination according to claim 1, in which two of said plurality of upper surface portions coincide along two corresponding long edges with opposite long edges of the flat bottom surface of the marker body, the remaining long edges of said two surface portions coinciding with each other and lying in a plane perpendicular to the flat bottom surface of the marker body, said remaining long edges being shorter than the long edges of said two surfaces coincident with the long edges of said flat bottom surface.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
82 words
The combination according to claim 1, in which one of said upper surface portions is substantially triangular in configuration and coincides along one edge with the longer of said relatively shorter end edges of the bottom surface of the marker body, the remaining two edges of the triangular surface portion intercepting each other at an apex spaced above the flat bottom surface and spaced longitudinally of the marker body from said longer of said relatively shorter end edges of the bottom surface.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
The combination according to claim 1, in which said plurality of angularly disposed upper surface portions meet in a common apex coincident with one end of said ridge.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
The combination according to claim 1, in which reflector means are provided on said upper surface effective to reflect light oriented in general with the long dimension of the marker body.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
53 words
The combination according to claim 3, in which the remaining mutually coinciding long edges of said two surface portions lie in a plane perpendicular to the bottom surface and are inclined with respect to said bottom surface so that said marker body is thicker at one end than it is at the other.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
47 words
The combination according to claim 4, in which said two remaining edges of the triangular surface portion coincide with edges of adjacent surface portions, the coincident edges of said triangular surface portion and the adjacent surface portions being inclined upwardly toward said apex of the marker body.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
39 words
The combination according to claim 4, in which the remaining two edges of the trianGular surface portion are inclined with respect to a vertical plane containing the longer of said relatively shorter end edges of the flat bottom surface.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
The combination according to claim 5, in which said common apex is spaced between opposite ends of the marker body.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
33 words
The combination according to claim 5, in which said common apex is spaced from each end of the marker body an amount correlated to the slope of one of said upper surface portions.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
137 words
A directional marker device for application to an automobile roadbed, comprising: a. an elongated three-dimensional marker body having a generally flat bottom surface defined by long and short edges and adapted to be secured to the roadbed; b. an upper surface on the body divided into a plurality of surface portions angularly disposed with respect to each other and with respect to said bottom surface, at least two of said upper surface portions tapering from a broad dimension adjacent one end of the body to a relatively narrower dimension adjacent the other end of the body; and c. reflector means on said upper surface including a plurality of series of reflector units arranged longitudinally along the upper surface of the marker body effective to reflect light oriented in general with the long dimension of the marker body.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
137 words
A directional marker device for application to an automobile roadbed, comprising: a. an elongated three-dimensional marker body having a generally flat bottom surface defined by long and short edges and adapted to be secured to the roadbed; b. an upper surface on the body divided into a plurality of surface portions angularly disposed with respect to each other and with respect to said bottom surface, at least two of said upper surface portions tapering from a broad dimension adjacent one end of the body to a relatively narrower dimension adjacent the other end of the body; and c. reflector means on said upper surface including a plurality of series of reflector units arranged longitudinally along the upper surface of the marker body effective to reflect light oriented in general with the long dimension of the marker body.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
152 words
A directional marker device for application to an automobile roadbed, comprising; a. an elongated three-dimensional marker body having a generally flat bottom surface defined by long and short edges and adapted to be secured to the roadbed; b. an upper surface on the body divided into a plurality of surface portions angularly disposed with respect to each other and with respect to said bottom surface, at least two of said upper surface portions tapering from a broad dimension adjacent one end of the body to a relatively narrower dimension adjacent the other end of the body; and c. reflector means on said upper surface effective to reflect light oriented in general with the long dimension of the marker body, said reflector means being multi-colored whereby light reflected toward one end of the marker body is one color and light reflected toward the other end of the marker body is a different color.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
152 words
A directional marker device for application to an automobile roadbed, comprising; a. an elongated three-dimensional marker body having a generally flat bottom surface defined by long and short edges and adapted to be secured to the roadbed; b. an upper surface on the body divided into a plurality of surface portions angularly disposed with respect to each other and with respect to said bottom surface, at least two of said upper surface portions tapering from a broad dimension adjacent one end of the body to a relatively narrower dimension adjacent the other end of the body; and c. reflector means on said upper surface effective to reflect light oriented in general with the long dimension of the marker body, said reflector means being multi-colored whereby light reflected toward one end of the marker body is one color and light reflected toward the other end of the marker body is a different color.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
189 words
A directional marker device for application to an automobile roadbed, comprising: a. an elongated three-dimensional marker body having a generally flat bottom surface defined by long and short edges and adapted to be secured to the roadbed; b. an upper surface on the body divided into a plurality of surface portions angularly disposed with respect to each other and with respect to said bottom surface, at least two of said upper surface portions tapering from a broad dimension adjacent one end of the body to a relatively narrower dimension adjacent the other end of the body; and c. reflector means on said upper surface effective to reflect light oriented in general with the long dimension of the marker body, said reflector means including a plurality of reflector units mounted on each of two of said upper surface portions, each reflector unit being monodirectional, with the reflector units on one of said two surfaces being arranged to reflect light toward one end of the marker body and the reflector units on the other of said two surfaces being arranged to reflect light toward the opposite end of the marker body.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
189 words
A directional marker device for application to an automobile roadbed, comprising: a. an elongated three-dimensional marker body having a generally flat bottom surface defined by long and short edges and adapted to be secured to the roadbed; b. an upper surface on the body divided into a plurality of surface portions angularly disposed with respect to each other and with respect to said bottom surface, at least two of said upper surface portions tapering from a broad dimension adjacent one end of the body to a relatively narrower dimension adjacent the other end of the body; and c. reflector means on said upper surface effective to reflect light oriented in general with the long dimension of the marker body, said reflector means including a plurality of reflector units mounted on each of two of said upper surface portions, each reflector unit being monodirectional, with the reflector units on one of said two surfaces being arranged to reflect light toward one end of the marker body and the reflector units on the other of said two surfaces being arranged to reflect light toward the opposite end of the marker body.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
219 words
A directional marker device for application to an automobile roadbed, comprising: a. an elongated three-dimensional marker body having a generally flat bottom surface defined by long and short edges and adapted to be secured to the roadbed; b. an upper surface on the body divided into a plurality of surface portions angularly disposed with respect to each other and with respect to said bottom surface, at least two of said upper surface portions tapering from a broad dimension adjacent one end of the body to a relatively narrower dimension adjacent the other end of the body; and c. reflector means on said upper suRface effective to reflect light oriented in general with the long dimension of the marker body, said reflector means including a plurality of bidirectional reflector units mounted on each of said two upper surface portions, the slope of said two upper surface portions being such that when said marker body is disposed on the roadbed so as to define separate traffic lanes for traffic moving in opposite directions with one of said two upper surfaces associated with one lane and the other of said two upper surfaces associated with the other lane, lights from automobiles in one lane are not reflected from the reflector units mounted on the upper surface portion associated with the other lane.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
219 words
A directional marker device for application to an automobile roadbed, comprising: a. an elongated three-dimensional marker body having a generally flat bottom surface defined by long and short edges and adapted to be secured to the roadbed; b. an upper surface on the body divided into a plurality of surface portions angularly disposed with respect to each other and with respect to said bottom surface, at least two of said upper surface portions tapering from a broad dimension adjacent one end of the body to a relatively narrower dimension adjacent the other end of the body; and c. reflector means on said upper suRface effective to reflect light oriented in general with the long dimension of the marker body, said reflector means including a plurality of bidirectional reflector units mounted on each of said two upper surface portions, the slope of said two upper surface portions being such that when said marker body is disposed on the roadbed so as to define separate traffic lanes for traffic moving in opposite directions with one of said two upper surfaces associated with one lane and the other of said two upper surfaces associated with the other lane, lights from automobiles in one lane are not reflected from the reflector units mounted on the upper surface portion associated with the other lane.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
27 words
The combination according to claim 12, in which each series of reflector units comprises a plurality of longitudinally spaced reflector units, and each reflector unit is monodirectional.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
27 words
The combination according to claim 12, in which each series of reflector units comprises a plurality of longitudinally spaced reflector units, and each reflector unit is bidirectional.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
39 words
The combination according to claim 12, in which each series of reflector units comprises a plurality of longitudinally spaced reflector units, the reflector units of one series being monodirectional and the reflector units of an adjacent series being bidirectional.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-10-29 | 1977-04-30 | 1977-10-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-10-29 | 1981-04-30 | 1981-10-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-10-29 | 1985-04-30 | 1985-10-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |